Monday, October 10, 2016

Chicago street sign honoring Trump to be removed

Donald J. Trump, as the huge signage on his buildings demonstrates, loves his surname. But a smaller Trump representation is about to be dismantled. The honorary identifier on Chicago’s Wabash Avenue went up in 2006 while the Trump Tower was under construction down the road. The 92-story high-rise at 401 N. Wabash Avenue bearing Trump’s name was competed in 2009. Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly initiated the effort to remove the city street sign that recognizes the Trump Tower in the Windy City. The now-offending marker bears the street’s original name, Wabash Avenue, along with a slightly smaller second honorary plate identifying the area as Trump Plaza. Disparaging remarks anger city leaders: Reilly, in various news reports, said he and his fellow Chicago lawmakers have for a while found many of Trump’s presidential campaign comments and policies offensive. The last straw, however, came during the first debate presidential debate on Sept. 26. That night, the Republican candidate reiterated his support for stop-and-frisk police tactics. Trump made Chicago part of his campaign, Reilly told NBC5 News, explaining: “His divisive comments about various segments of Chicago society, whether you’re Latino or another minority, an immigrant, a woman, that in and of itself is offensive, but his decision to drag us into this campaign and mischaracterize and paint a very distorted caricature of Chicago is a mistake and we reserve these honorary street signs for special Chicagoans who have lifted up this city and move us forward.” Reilly introduced his ordinance to remove the Trump street sign at last week’s meeting. It has the support of 46 other aldermen and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Removal expected by Election Day: Reilly said the sign should be removed within a month, or about the time that voters nationwide will be deciding whether Trump or Clinton should move into the Oval Office. “We’ll put the sign back up when he releases his tax returns,” Emanuel said, apparently joking according to some, but not all, media reports. Reilly, however, doesn’t want the Trump commemoration to return regardless of Trump’s tax transparency or the Nov. 8 results. The alderman, who in past years received campaign contributions from Trump, said that he will send the political donations back to Trump, along with street sign bearing his name. You also might find these items of interest: Naked Trump statue to be auctioned Why we’re looking at Trump’s state taxes Trump: ‘Smart’ for paying no taxes, or just greedy?